Digital camera functionality is being incorporated into a wide variety of electronic devices. In particular, there is an increased demand by consumers for high quality photographic capability in consumer electronics and mobile computing devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, and tablet computers. However, there is also high demand for mobile computing devices with increasingly small form factors, with extremely thin devices being particularly desirable for both aesthetics and portability. In addition, there is an ongoing desire to improve quality and functionality while decreasing the cost of components and manufacturing. For example, gold bonds, C4 bumps, and other types of interconnections between camera components can significantly contribute to per unit cost and can result in camera module form factor design constraints.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved camera module designs and manufacturing processes for incorporation into electronic devices.